MANILA, Philippines — China on Thursday denied allegations that it is meddling in the Philippines’ 2025 midterm elections, following claims made by the National Security Council (NSC) that pointed to state-sponsored information operations.
In a press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun emphasized that China maintains a firm policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations.
“China follows the principle of non-interference in other countries’ domestic affairs. We have no interest in interfering in Philippine elections,” Guo said.
However, during a Senate inquiry into alleged espionage and the presence of submersible drones in Philippine waters, NSC spokesperson Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said there are signs of foreign influence operations connected to the elections.
“There are indications that information operations being conducted are Chinese state-sponsored and are interfering in the forthcoming elections,” Malaya told senators.
When pressed further, Malaya confirmed that these operations appear to support certain candidates favored by Beijing while undermining others.
“Yes, there are indications of that,” he said, adding that the NSC has identified the candidates reportedly being backed by China.
Comelec Aware of Foreign Influence Threats
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia acknowledged that the intelligence community has shared findings of potential foreign interference.
“We’ve received intelligence reports from various agencies. Even repeated posts attacking the Comelec on social media appear to be automated bot activity originating from abroad,” Garcia explained.
He noted that foreign-backed operations aim to amplify controversies to sway public opinion.
Despite these developments, Garcia gave assurance that the upcoming elections will be clean and credible.
“We are taking all necessary measures to safeguard the integrity of Eleksyon 2025,” he said.
The alleged foreign interference underscores growing concerns over cyber influence and digital manipulation in democratic processes worldwide.